About this project

$5,413

pledged of $3,500 goal

87

backers

History of the Project

I’ve always approached my career in music as if I was making a movie; each project tells a different part of the story, expresses a particular interest of mine, and bears the imprint of the collaborators who created the music with me. As the collaborators change, so the music changes.

I started down the path that led to SUCH IS LOVE in 2003 thanks to my old friend, Alan Steele, a New York painter who is also a dealer in primitive antiquities. I hadn’t seen Alan for 17 years, then one afternoon his voice popped up on my answering machine announcing that he was in town and wanted to get together for dinner. Alan grew up in Brazil, and he arrived for dinner carrying a stack of cassettes of Brazilian music, all for me. I didn’t listen to the cassettes for months, though, and kept finding a million other things to do. Alan continued sending me painstakingly labeled mix tapes of the Bossa Nova greats, and I threw them all into my car, figuring I’d get around to listening to them eventually.

A Dark Night on Pacific Coast Highway

Several months later I was driving home late at night from a rehearsal in Malibu. The Malibu coast is like wilderness. The hills lining that stretch of Pacific Coast Highway are dark and massive, and the road curves in unexpected ways; for whatever reason, Alan’s tapes crossed my mind as I wound along the road. I popped one into the player, and suddenly Nana Caymmi’s voice filled my car. It was sad, earthy, and low -- it was the voice of a woman, not a skinny waif trying to sound forlorn. Cesar Camargo Marianno’s piano danced around her voice, nimble and cool, but this wasn’t campy piano bar music; these were Brazilian torch songs, and they were immensely powerful. The songs were in Portuguese, of course, so I couldn’t understand a word, but they cast a spell on me the moment I heard them. Two songs in particular -- “Por Toda Minha Vida” and “Nosso Tempo” -- lodged themselves in my mind and began to haunt me.

Weba and her Band performing Nosso Tempo in 2004

After listening to that first tape dozens of times I called Alan and asked, “What are these songs about?” It took him weeks to translate them for me, because he wanted to make sure he got them right. I recorded his translations on my speakerphone, learned the Portuguese phonetically, and then hired a pianist to take down the arrangements on the tape. I had to sing these songs. As always happens when I discover a new musical style, I dove head first into this world. I was particularly thrilled by a recording from 1974 called Elis and Tom, by the exquisite vocalist, Elis Regina, and the man who pretty much single-handedly invented Bossa Nova, Antonio Carlos Jobim. I loved the way the album interwove the light grooves of Bossa Nova and the more somber art song style. Then, on Christmas day of that year, I went to see Pedro Almodovar’s brilliant film, Talk to Her, and during a climatic scene at a bullfight a version of “Por Toda Minha Vida,” sung by Elis Regina, wafted out of the sound system in the theater! I’d only heard Nana’s version of the song, and this was a fully orchestrated arrangement with Elis crumbling into tears at the end. These songs were making me crazy!

" I dove in head first"

Making the Music My Own

I wondered what to do with this music I’d fallen in love with. Record all the songs in English with new arrangements? Who needs another American singer doing Brazilian songs? I realized that what I really wanted to do was write a series of my own songs that captured the sophistication, maturity, and experience I heard in Bossa Nova. I called my old songwriting partner, Steve Stewart, and to my surprise, he told me he was learning how to play flamenco and Bossa Nova guitar, and was deeply into the music of João Gilberto. We agreed to start writing.

Weba and Steve Stewart by Ric Whims

Steve began sending me mp3’s of new, fully realized songs, and I would listen to his music while studying a list I’d compiled with the help my writer friend, Irene Borger. Irene helps me write by giving me specific instructions, and one day she said, “make a list of ten moments in your life that you want to be remembered.” I immediately thought of several things that had to be on my list -- my first kiss with my husband, Mark, for instance, walking home on a warm summer night, or the way I used to feel after a great telephone conversation on with my mother. After completing the list I would sit and ponder it as I listened to the music Steve sent me, and try to open myself to the feeling and mood the music was conveying. Once I’d connected with the emotion of Steve’s music, I’d pick a moment from my list that seemed to correspond. Lyrics came next, and then, after I’d set them to Steve’s music, we began experimenting with harmonies and grooves.

The songs written with Nate Scoble utilized a different approach. I wanted to write music that was similar to the Weill and Eisler material that I had performed with the Eastside Sinfonietta. I found my modern day Schubert in Nate Scoble (the guitar player in the punk art band The Blue Daisies) who had a secret sunny side that was perfect for writing bossa nova inspired art songs. Nate would come to my studio with a cell of a musical idea and I would be ready with completed poems. We would compose, I singing a melody to his changes, or suggesting that the music go somewhere else based on the words. We would start a song and not stop until we were finished, usually working for 5 hours at a time and recording as we went along.

I then put together an ensemble of players that included Joe Berardi on percussion and vibraphone, Jessica Catron on cello, and Ken Lasaine on guitar, and we began practicing the new songs. We played a few shows – at L.A.’s Central Library, and the Redcat Theater in Disney Hall – and you can see clips of these shows on myYouTube Channel.

Jessica Catron and Joe Berardi at Downtown Library

As the recording of the songs wound to a close, it dawned on me that I wasn’t creating authentic Bossa Nova music, or even a nostalgic recreation of the style; rather, I was using Bossa Nova to create my own, very Los Angeles, approach to the genre. The songs are Brazilian by way of Echo Park, which means that although they refer stylistically to Bossa Nova, they have an American bite. I’ve always believed that music must be personal and specific to the person creating it, and I wanted to use Bossa Nova to explore things that occurred in my life during the period I was under the sway of the style. My mother had always been a hugely important source of inspiration and encouragement in my life, and she died while I was working on this project. I was also exploring my feelings about my marriage, reflecting on the fact that I’d reached middle age, and looking at the consequences of decisions I’d made decades ago. Bossa Nova uses beautiful shades of light and dark to explore feelings of sadness and joy, and it’s perfect for this cycle of songs exploring loss,grief, and hope.

My mother the debutante, Virginia Rumsey Holland

Why Vinyl?

I was hoping you’d ask that. I’ve been working on SUCH IS LOVE for a very long time and it’s finally ready for unveiling. I had the good fortune to work with many gifted colleagues on SUCH ISLOVE, and on completing it we asked each other: How should this music come into the world? We all agreed that these beautiful songs demanded a bigger frame than a CD could provide, and that they needed the classic format of a vinyl LP. We’ve finished the recording and mixing, and designed a gorgeous album sleeve featuring art by my mother, Virginia Holland Garretson; all we need now is the money to have the record mastered byPete Lymanat Infrasonic Sound in Echo Park and to press the record.

I know what you’re thinking; for cripes sake, she can release the music as a download! Why does she have to have a vinyl pressing?! I’m prepared to answer that question. I’m part of the last generation to come of age on vinyl recordings, and I can testify that the generations who’ve followed missed something wonderful. The experience of getting, then playing, a record album is different from the experience of playing a CD on every level. Lets start with the packaging; LPS were so much easier to open than CDs!! A quick slip of the thumbnail to split the shrink-wrap and you were good to go. Then there was the cover: album covers provided a canvas for artwork that was bigger and better than any CD could ever be. You could sit and hold your album and stare at the cover art in a trance, while you listened to the new music that just came into your life. Flip the album jacket over and there was all the personnel information in type big enough to read! And then, of course, there is the aural experience vinyl provides. A record is a living thing, and when it begins to crackle and pop you know that the music on that record meant a lot to some someone, who’d played it again and again. Legions of purists insist that music recorded on vinyl is richer, more resonant – just better than music on a CD, but I want you to have the opportunity to decide for yourself!

About the Pledges

When you give what you get is some genuine antique swag, pulled from the Treasure Trove of my 30 plus years in Los Angeles….

New wave glory in The Pearls

The Pearls was the most unhip band in Los Angeles. Our guitar player, Brad Rabuchin, had long hair he wore in pigtails, and he played incredibly fast, long guitar solos, which was regarded as completely lame in 1980. And yet, he was also playing in the ultra cool LA uber punk band The Deadbeats and later went on to be the guitarist for the Ray Charles Orchestra.

“Running in Circles” was our first and only record. Very few copies still exist of this 45 rpm single. Pick the "Digging deep into my New Wave Past" pledge andget yours now!

The Pearls 45

The Weba Show: The four or us --- composer Jerry Frankel, actor Philip Littell, and director David Schweizer --- createdThe Weba Show: A Lounge Act for the 80s. I thought I had no swag on this one, but then I remembered my Pink Leather Dress that I wore in the show which was designed by my dear friend Gregory Poe. So Pick the "Hot Pink Weba" and it's yours!

Pick the "The Weba and the Wailing Turbans" pledge and you will get My Greatest Hits of that era: I’ll Show You My New Bra, Big Butt and other tunes from the Weba and the Wailing Turbans days. We will make a custom CD just for you with the Best of the Wailing Turbans

John Garretson, Weba and Keith Joe Dick by Nathan Stein

Webaworld and Puttanesca: With my new partner Ralph Gorodetsky I joined a group with drummer Wayne Griffin and guitar great Joe Baiza. We could make some very funky, very crazy racket. You can get our first recording Welcome to Webaworld from 1995

Welcome To WebaWorld

or our second, ten years later, Puttanesca.

Webaworld & Puttanesca: Ralph, Weba, Wayne and Joe

The Puttanesca CD

Eastside Sinfonietta: Who doesn’t love the songs of the Weimar? The Eastside Sinfonietta included Jason Payne, Tracy Wannanomae, Ralph Gorodetsky and Joe Berardi, and they created stunning arrangements of classic songs.

You can select The Eastside Sinfonietta's CD Don't Be Afraid.

The Eastside Sinfonietta

The Eastside Sinfonietta CD

Bill Viola: Since 2000 I’ve appeared in more than a dozen works by Viola that have been shown in museums around the world. For the "Weba as Muse" pledge get a signed copy of the poster for "Surrender" featuring me and my other half John Fleck. "Surrender" is from The Passions exhibition at the Getty Museum in 2003.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $50 or more
About $50

One of your choice of my three other CD titles - PUTTANESCA, WELCOME TO WEBA WORLD or THE EASTSIDE SINFONIETTA -- plus a signed copy of the vinyl 12" album SUCH IS LOVE, and a digital download card and regular updates on the project. Please add $3 for shipping outside the U.S.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $75 or more
About $75

"The Weba and the Wailing Turbans Pledge." Receive a home made compilation of my most infamous songs including I'LL SHOW YOU MY NEW BRA and BIG BUTT as well as other hits from our two nightclub musicals "Come to My Heaven" and "Adventure Amour" plus the vinyl 12" album SUCH IS LOVE; digital download and updates on the project. Please add $3 for shipping outside the U.S.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $75 or more
About $75

The "Digging Deep into My New Wave Past" Pledge:
An extremely rare 45rpm of my first single "Running in Circles," recorded with The Pearls in 1980. Plus SUCH IS LOVE on vinyl with a digital download card.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $75 or more
About $75

Receive a home made version of HUMANS MAKING LOVE AS GODS a radio play that was written and composed by me and Steve Stewart and produced by MOCA as part of their Territory of Art series. This is not available anywhere. The Cast includes John Fleck as Zeus, Tina Preston as Aphrodite and Martin Kersels as my snoring, grumpy Husband. Plus the vinyl 12" album SUCH IS LOVE; digital download and updates on the project. Please add $3 for shipping outside the U.S.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $250 or more
About $250

A private one hour voice lesson with me on Skype or in my Echo Park studio, plus the SUCH IS LOVE vinyl LP with a digital download card and an extremely rare 45rpm of my first single "Running in Circles," recorded with The Pearls in 1980.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $400 or more
About $400

The "Unbelievable Deal" pledge: Use our studio for your project. For an incredibly low rate you will receive 20 hours of studio time at Catasonic Studios in Echo Park California where we recorded SUCH IS LOVE. You get to work with Engineer Mark Wheaton and all our high end recording equipment. Check out the studio at http://www.catasonic.com. Plus SUCH IS LOVE on vinyl with a digital download card.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $500 or more
About $500

The Super-Weba Package!!! In addition to the SUCH IS LOVE vinyl LP with a digital download card, I will prepare a home-cooked meal for you in the comfort of my Echo Park home, then serenade you with a private concert in my backyard. Some people say I cook better than I sing. You'll be the judge!!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $500 or more
About $500

The "Hot Pink Weba" pledge. Get the Pink Leather Dress and matching pink leather opera gloves designed by GREGORY POE. This dress is a true WEBA SHOW relic, worn by me for the entire run of Weba the 3rd and modeled by me on the cover of the LA READER's fashion issue in 1983. Pledge includes the dress, the gloves and a copy of the LA READER. Plus the vinyl 12" album SUCH IS LOVE; digital download and updates on the project. Please add $3 for shipping outside the U.S.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $750 or more
About $750

The "Weba as Muse" Pledge.
Receive a poster by internationally recognized video artist Bill Viola of "Surrender" featuring Weba Garretson and John Fleck and signed by Bill Viola. Plus SUCH IS LOVE on vinyl with a digital download card.